Schumer lays groundwork for future filibuster reform
By Alexander Bolton - 04/15/21 06:00 AM EDT
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is asking Democrats to look for GOP dance partners, both as a defense for attacks next year that his party is unwilling to work with Republicans, and as a step toward possibly limiting the filibuster.
The initial reason for seeking bipartisan opportunities is next year’s midterms.
Democrats want to bolster their defenses for the coming GOP attacks that voters should deliver a GOP majority in the House or Senate as a check on President Biden, and to punish Democrats for not working on a bipartisan basis.
But the effort is also a way to convince Democratic senators to agree to reform the filibuster.
The thinking is that if Republicans show they aren’t interested in working with Democrats, it will help the case within the Senate Democratic Conference to reform the filibuster, which requires most legislation to win 60 votes to move forward in a chamber where there are only 50 Democratic votes.
“Schumer is just now laying out how we want to go forward,†said one Democratic senator. “Some members of the caucus, a considerable number, they want to understand the extent of Republican obstruction to justify any action taken on the filibuster.
“All of this is about bringing the caucus back together so eventually 50 people in the room can reach a decision,†the source said.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/548345-schumer-lays-groundwork-for-future-filibuster-reform